Thursday, July 15, 2010

Super-big huge thanks to SoSG reader Michelle for this transcription from the Dodgers' July 7 telecast:

We mentioned this story last night. It’s kind of a cute story, and we’re not going to see the Marlins again.

Cody Ross was struggling, when he was with the Marlins. And Hanley Ramirez had an empty can of Skoal--I guess that contains snuff? Anyway, he said to Cody, “Here, put this empty can of Skoal in your hip pocket for good luck.” And so Ross did, and they were gonna play the Braves.

Foul back, out of play, 0 and 1

Anyway, Ross came up to hit. Being a Marlin here came a fast ball inside, Ross tried to get out of the way of it, and it literally and figuratively, hit him right in the can. Uh, it dented the can. And Ross finally said it was nice of Hanley to give it to me, but it has served its purpose.

0 and 1 the count.

But you take that simple story, and you think about the word, “can.”

0 and 1…Another strike.

In some of those hard-boiled mystery stories, they talk about going to prison--“going to the can.” Or you’ve heard people talk about going to the bathroom, “Excuse me, I’m going to the can.”

Imagine how tough it is to learn this language.

[A few minutes, and an awesome Ethier catch, go by…]

One other use of the word, “can.” I was thinking, in the navy, they talk about the destroyers and destroyer escorts—they’re “tin cans.” In fact, there’s a magnificent book about World War II, called “The Tin Can Sailors.” WOW!